I am stuck going in circles with planning our Dec trip for multiple reasons (a big one being RotR opening on day #3, ugh!). One thing I keep coming back to is our MVMCP day. My kids are early risers on vacation. Last fall they woke up at 5:30am the mornings after we stayed out late for Fantasmic & HEA. So my plan currently is to hit a park for ~3 hours that morning, take naps (no swimming, etc), then head to the party between 4-5pm. We plan to see the first parade & may leave early if they all crash. I’m fine with not “getting my money’s worth” from the max # of hours from tickets. Right now the plan is to hit AK for 3 hours, eat lunch, then head to the resort for naps.
I keep reading over & over to have a resort morning on party day though. If my kids are going to wake up at the crack of dawn anyway, this seems silly to me. If we do a resort day, they’ll want to swim which will wear them out as much or more than going to the parks (and it may be too cold in December depending on temps). My kids don’t sleep in. They have done well napping for us on past trips, especially when we explain why a nap is needed (something fun if you nap!).
I guess I just want to hear from someone that you’ve done a park morning on party day with little kids & didn’t regret it…
We did early morning, nap and then MNSSHP last fall when kids were 7 and 4. They had no problem, we just made sure to take a good mid day break with naps for all (not pool). We were planning EMM that morning but it got cancelled. We rope dropped MK, had lunch around noon at Chef Mickey’s, napped and headed back to MK/party around 4-430.
We were at CR garden wing though, so we were able to walk and didn’t have to waste midday break time on transportation.
If your kids are early risers, I say go for it (as long as they will actually rest midday).
I think your current plan sounds solid. Take it with a grain of salt coming from me as I have yet to do much of a resort day. To me, I feel like I’d go crazy in the room all day trying to keep the kids out of the pool. Plus in December you’ll hopefully have agreeable weather and not melting heat and it won’t zap your energy to be in the parks in the morning.
I have a really hard time with resort days haha. It’s so cheap to add an additional day that I just can’t justify it. Maybe once my kids are older & can do longer days in the parks, but with needing a break every day it just seems like such a waste. And yes to going crazy in the room!
Also btw you’re my hero for taking your kids by yourself- loved your trip report! I really want to do this once my kids are older & height restrictions don’t impact us as much! I think I’m going to do Mommy & daughter trip with my 5yo next fall for a Halloween party though
We spent a long time waiting for the FQ bus midday for a break. They don’t run as often in the afternoon. Then a long time waiting for a bus to get back.
If we do an afternoon break next time at MK, we might spend the money for a Minnie Van. They pull right up to where the buses are.
We (DS6 and I) did EMM the morning of the Christmas party. Up at 6, at MK until about 1, then swimming, then went to the party from 5-11ish. Worth it. This year we’ll still do a park during the day but not get up that early, so hopefully we can stay until the end.
We are planning Disney Springs on our MVMCP day. The kids think it is a rest day and have no idea about the party. We figured that this would be a good time to do our shopping and hit up a TS meal to fuel up for the night.
Mine won’t likely rise as early, but we are in similar boats. I can’t add a day on bc of the type of ticket I have. My plan is to visit DS and do the Christmas tree walk and visit Fort Wilderness and see the stables.
Last year we did a morning off with church and lunch, then nap before MVMCP. But this year we have a similar plan to you. SIL is joining the girls and I for Fri thru Sunday AM only so our only option to see SWGE/HS with her is to go to EEMH the day of our party 11/1. So it will be really early morning, return to hotel around noon for naps and then to MNSSHP. I’ll let you know how it goes!
